batmantheanimatedseriesfandomcom-20200214-history
Joker's Millions
| number = 7 | image = File:Jokers Millions.jpg | imagewidth = 250 | airdate = February 21, 1998 | director = Dan Riba | writer = Paul Dini | story = | teleplay = | music = Lolita Ritmanis | previous1 = Double Talk | next1 = Growing Pains | previous2 = Never Fear | next2 = Growing Pains }} :"I'm crazy enough to take on Batman, but the I.R.S.? No, thank you!" ::- Joker Joker's Millions is the seventh episode of The New Batman Adventures. It is notable for introducing The Penguin to the new series, featuring a radically different look from his original character design in Batman: The Animated Series. This episode is also an adaptation of a classic story from the Batman comics. Joker's Millions is the seventh produced and aired episode of "TNBA". Plot The latest crime by the Joker and Harley Quinn is foiled by Batman and Batgirl, forcing them to flee from the crime scene after a brief confrontation with the heroes. Joker and Harley barely manage to escape, considering they are severly lacking from money to sustain their criminal endeavours. The two of them get into their old car, which runs out of gas in the middle of the street. With the Batmobile just around the corner, Joker uses an ejector seat to escape, leaving Harley behind as he could only afford one ejector for his own seat. Harley is captured by Batman and sent back to Arkham Asylum. Joker returns to his low-income rented apartment, where he receives a letter informing him of his enemy, King Barlowe's recent death. The letter includes Barlowe's last will, in which he leaves Joker his entire fortune consisting of $250 million dollars. With the money, the Joker hires a couple of lawyers and clinical psychiatrists to clear his criminal record and his image in the public eye. Although Batgirl hopes that Joker might give up crime now that he's rich, Batman's anger makes her reconsider and she decides to keep an eye on him alongside Dick Grayson. Barbara and Dick go to the Iceberg Lounge, where Barbara uses her influence as the Police Commissioner's daughter to get inside. As expected, The Joker is there, enjoying his wealth with the Lounge's owner, The Penguin. Unaware to the people at the place, one of King Barlowe's associates has arranged an attack on the Joker for getting all of his former partner's money. The man and a group of criminals bursts inside and start shooting everywhere until they get to the Joker. Barbara and Nightwing go into action as Batgirl and Nightwing, taking down the criminals and saving the Joker, who kindly repays them with money that they choose to throw away. The situation amuses the Joker, who goes on to spend his fortune on things like a new, personalized mansion, golfing and throwing away money around Gotham. The news about Joker's financial success reach Arkham and Harley is sure that her "puddin" will soon buy her ticket out of the asylum. However, Ivy blows her bubble when she tells Harley that Joker is looking for a new henchgirl, which makes Harley utterly mad. True enough, Joker is searching for a new "Harley" and several women have answered the call (and even some men); but there is only one girl among them who gets the Joker's approval, despite the fact that her voice and demeanor are obnoxious. After the girl has been chosen, Joker is visited by an agent of the IRS, who informs Joker he needs to pay the taxes corresponding to the inheritance or face the law for tax evasion. Scared of the outcome, Joker starts gathering the money from his large fortune, but he soon discovers that most of the money is fake. His henchmen find a tape among the money and when they play it, they learn that King Barlowe played one last trick on the Joker before he died. The fortune he left for the Joker was mostly fake and what little of it was real, Joker has already spent. Barlowe knew that Joker wouldn't reveal the truth and make himself the laughing stock of the underworld, but now that he is penniless, Joker is sure to go to prison for tax evasion; giving Barlowe the pleasure of getting the last laugh beyond the grave. Desperate, Joker starts thinking of a way to make some money and get away with the crime, but neither his henchmen or fake Harley prove to be useful, making the madman miss the real Harley, who at that precise moment, has escaped from her cell in Arkham. The next night, Bruce Wayne goes to the Iceberg Lounge, where he comes across the Joker, but he soon realizes that he is actually Joker's henchman posing as his boss. When the thug goes to the bathroom, Batman follows him and interrogates him about the Joker's plan. At that moment, three armored cars leave the Gotham Mint and head towards the docks, where the vehicles full of money are supposed to be taken. Unaware to them, the Joker has taken control of the ship in which the cars are to be transported and once they arrive, Joker and his thugs knock the security officers unconscious and take off with the vehicles and the money. Joker is proud of his successful plan, as he avoided using any of his trademark items and modus operandi, leaving no clue for Batman to find him. However, Batman learned of Joker's plan thanks to his henchman and before long, the Joker and his thugs are stopped by Batman, Batgirl and Nightwing. The criminals are all captured and Joker is taken inside one of the police vans, where he is glad to be going back to Arkham. However, Joker's joy soon turns sour when he realizes that the officer supervising him is actually Harley, who successfully escaped from Arkham and starts beating the clown for his betrayal. Cast Notes & Trivia * This episode is based on the original story from Detective Comics #180 (1952), by David Reed and Dick Sprang. * This episode reveals the name of Joker's pet hyenas as Bud and Lou, aptly named after comedy duo Bud Abbot and Lou Costello. * This episode references other instances in the DC Animated Universe: :* Joker's financial issues was first referenced in the trilogy of episodes "World's Finest" from Superman: The Animated Series. :* Bruce Wayne's previous encounter with Joker is also a reference to the events of "World's Finest". :* Joker's henchman suggests Joker to start another crime similar to the one in the episode "The Laughing Fish" from Batman: The Animated Series. * When Joker shoots the TV screen, the resulting explosion is reused footage from the scene of the episode "World's Finest, Part III" in which two Wayne/Lex T-7 droids blow up after Batman electrocutes them. * The opening sequence of this episode was used as a cutscene in the videogame Batman: Gotham City Racer. * The episode has been released as part of the following Home video sets: :* Batman: The Animated Series, Volume Four :* Batman: The Complete Animated Series :* Best of Batman Gallery JM 01 - Expo.jpg JM 01.1 - Batgirl.jpg JM 02 - Harley and Joker.jpg JM 03 - Harley.jpg JM 04 - Joker and Harley.jpg JM 05 - Joker.jpg JM 06 - Joker.jpg JM 07 - Joker Millions.jpg JM 08 - News.jpg JM 09 - Joker Crazy.jpg JM 10 - Batman Rage.jpg JM 11 - Iceberg Lounge.jpg JM 12 - Babs.jpg JM 13 - Joker Cake.jpg JM 14 - Penguin.jpg JM 15 - Batgirl and Nightwing.jpg JM 16 - Joker.jpg JM 17 - Joker Laughs.jpg JM 18 - Mansion.jpg JM 19 - Joker Golfing.jpg JM 20 - Joker Money.jpg JM 21 - Angry Harley.jpg JM 22 - Dini Quinn.jpg JM 23 - Fake Harley.jpg JM 24 - Joker and Fake Harley.jpg JM 25 - Joker Fake Harley.jpg JM 26 - Joker Money.jpg JM 27 - Joker.jpg JM 28 - Joker.jpg JM 29 - Joker.jpg JM 30 - Joker.jpg JM 31 - Harley Cell.jpg JM 32 - Unlikely.jpg JM 33 - Fake Joker.jpg JM 34 - Batman.jpg JM 35 - Penguin Ladies.jpg JM 36 - Gotham Mint.jpg JM 37 - Joker Money.jpg JM 38 - Joker.jpg JM 39 - Captured.jpg JM 40 - Joker.jpg JM 41 - Joker.jpg JM 42 - Harley Police.jpg JM 43 - Harley.jpg Category:Episodes Category:Directed by Dan Riba Category:Written by Paul Dini Category:Soundtrack by Lolita Ritmanis Category:Joker Episodes Category:Comic Adaptations Category:Multiple Villains Episodes Category:Harley Quinn Episodes Category:Poison Ivy Episodes Category:Penguin Episodes